U.S. patent number 4,809,426 [Application Number 06/924,342] was granted by the patent office on 1989-03-07 for information processing apparatus of tool holder.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Tokyo Keiki Company, Ltd.. Invention is credited to Hiroshi Nogi, Kunihiko Takeuchi.
United States Patent |
4,809,426 |
Takeuchi , et al. |
March 7, 1989 |
Information processing apparatus of tool holder
Abstract
A memory is built in a tool holder to which a working tool such
as drill or the like is attached. Various tool information such as
kind of tool, dimensions of tool, tool use time, and the like is
written into the memory. The tool holder having the memory therein
is coupled with an external unit by contactless coupling means
which doesn't need any electrical coupling, thereby allowing the
tool information to be written into or read out of the memory. The
information is transmitted between the memory in the tool holder
and the external unit by way of the optical or magnetical coupling.
The memory built in the tool holder consists of a non-volatile
memory such that the memory content is not erased even if the power
supply is shut off.
Inventors: |
Takeuchi; Kunihiko (Kawasaki,
JP), Nogi; Hiroshi (Yokohama, JP) |
Assignee: |
Tokyo Keiki Company, Ltd.
(Tokyo, JP)
|
Family
ID: |
17347169 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/924,342 |
Filed: |
October 24, 1986 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Nov 20, 1985 [JP] |
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60-260384 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
365/64; 235/439;
40/626; 40/913; 279/900; 365/170; 365/229; 483/8; 40/628; 365/66;
365/221; 409/234; 483/12 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B23Q
5/00 (20130101); G05B 19/41825 (20130101); B23Q
41/00 (20130101); G06K 19/04 (20130101); G05B
19/128 (20130101); Y02P 90/087 (20151101); Y10T
483/14 (20150115); Y02P 90/02 (20151101); Y02P
90/205 (20151101); G05B 2219/49302 (20130101); Y10T
409/30952 (20150115); Y02P 90/10 (20151101); Y10T
483/132 (20150115); Y10S 40/913 (20130101); Y10S
279/90 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B23Q
5/00 (20060101); B23Q 41/00 (20060101); G05B
19/12 (20060101); G06K 19/04 (20060101); G05B
19/418 (20060101); G05B 19/04 (20060101); B23Q
003/155 () |
Field of
Search: |
;29/568
;40/625,626,628-631,913 ;279/1TS ;409/80,234
;365/63,64,66,221,229,170 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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|
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111693 |
|
Oct 1983 |
|
EP |
|
155662 |
|
Sep 1985 |
|
EP |
|
Primary Examiner: Weidenfeld; Gil
Assistant Examiner: Bishop; Steven C.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack
Claims
We claim:
1. An information processing apparatus of a tool holder to which a
working tool to be exchanged by being attached and detached to and
from a machine tool by an automatic tool exchanging apparatus is
attached,
wherein said holder itself has therein:
a memory for storing various information regarding the tool
attached to the holder;
a contactless coupling means for reading and writing the
information between said memory and an external unit by way of a
serial data transmission; and
a power source means for supplying power sources to said memory and
said contactless coupling means; wherein said external unit is an
independent portable unit, and an information writing unit for
writing the information into said memory built in the tool holder
is constituted by setting the tool holder into said independent
portable unit.
2. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein said memory built in the tool holder is a non-volatile
memory which holds the memory content even in a shut-off state of
the power source.
3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein said contactless coupling means uses a photocoupler
consisting of a combination of a light emitting device and a photo
sensing device, a photo sensing portion of the photo sensing device
of said photocoupler is arranged on a data reception side of the
tool holder and external unit so as to be exposed to the outside,
and a light emitting portion of the light emitting device of the
photocoupler is arranged on a data transmission side of the tool
holder and external unit so as to be exposed to the outside.
4. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein said contactless coupling means uses a magnetic induction
coupling apparatus consisting of a combination of a magnetic
induction coil and a magnetic sensor, the magnetic sensor of said
magnetic induction coupling apparatus is arranged on a data
reception side of the tool holder and external unit, and the
magnetic induction coil of the magnetic induction coupling
apparatus is arranged on a data transmission side of the tool
holder and external unit.
5. An information processing apparatus according to claim 4,
wherein said magnetic sensor consists of a Hall effect device or a
magneto-resistance device.
6. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein said power source means consists of a rectifying regulating
power source which is built in said holder and constituted in a
manner such that a power transformer is divided ito a primary side
transformer and a secondary side transformer, and said primary side
transformer is provided in said external unit, and said second side
transformer is built in said tool holder, and wherein an AC voltage
induced in the secondary side transformer due to the
electromagnetic induction coupling with the primary side
transformer is rectified and regulated, thereby generating a
regulated DC voltage.
7. An information processing apparatus according to claim 6,
wherein said external unit has an oscillator to supply an AC power
signal of a predetermined frequency to a primary winding of said
primary side transformer.
8. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein a battery and voltage regulating means for regulating a DC
voltage of said battery are built in said tool holder as said power
source means.
9. An information processing apparatus of a tool holder to which a
working tool to be exchanged by being freely attached to and
detached from a machine tool by an automatic tool changer is
attached, comprising:
a nonvolatile memory, provided in said tool holder, for storing
various information regarding the tool attached to the holder;
a contactless coupling means for reading and writing information
between said nonvolatile memory and an external unit by a serial
data transmission; and
a power source means having a primary side partial transformer and
a secondary side partial transformer which are obtained by dividing
a power transformer into a primary side and a secondary side, said
primary side partial transformer being provided in said external
unit and said secondary side partial transformer being provided in
said tool holder, and said power source means being constituted in
a manner such that an AC voltage is induced in the secondary side
partial transformer by an electromagnetic induction coupling of the
primary side partial transformer, and a DC voltage which is
obtained by regulating said AC voltage by a rectifying and
regulating power source is generated, and this regulated DC voltage
is supplied to said nonvolatile memory and to the contactless
coupling means on the side of said tool holder in said contactless
coupling means.
10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said contactless
coupling means includes a photocoupler consisting of a combination
of a light emitting device and a photo sensing device, a
photosensing portion of the photo sensing device of said
photocoupler is arranged on a data reception side of the tool
holder and of the external unit so as to be exposed to the outside,
and a light emitting portion of the light emitting device of the
photocoupler is arranged on a data transmission side of the tool
holder and of the external unit so as to be exposed to the
outside.
11. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said contactless
coupling means uses a magnetic induction coupling apparatus
consisting of a combination of a magnetic induction coil and a Hall
effect device or a magnetic resistor, said Hall effect device or
magnetic resistor is arranged on a data reception side of the tool
holder and of the external unit, and said magnetic induction coil
is arranged on a data transmission side of the tool holder and of
the external unit.
12. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said external unit
has an oscillator for supplying an AC voltage signal of a
predetermined frequency to a primary winding of said primary side
partial transformer of said power source means.
13. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said external unit
is an independent portable unit, and an information writing unit
for writing the information into said nonvolatile memory provided
in the tool holder is constituted by setting the tool holder into
said independent portable unit.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an information processing
apparatus of a tool holder in which a working tool such as drill,
cutter, or the like is attached to the tool holder and this tool
holder itself has information and, more particularly, to an
information processing apparatus of a tool holder in which the tool
holder itself has the information regarding the automatic tool
exchange control such that an arbitrary tool is selected from a
number of tools attached to the tool holder and the selected tool
is attached to or detached from a machine tool in accordance with
the working sequence by the program control.
Hitherto, in the machine tools such as machining centers and the
like, tools are exchanged by the automatic tool exchanging
apparatus.
FIG. 1 shows an example of a machining center having an automatic
tool exchanging apparatus. An automatic tool exchanging apparatus
10 has a rotatable belt mechanism 12. A number of racks 14 to
enclose tools are provided for the belt mechanism 12. For example,
as shown in FIG. 2, a holder (standard article) 18 to which a
working tool 16 such a drill or the like is attached is inserted
into the rack 14. When the number of rack having a desired tool to
be exchanged is designated by the side of a machining center 20,
the belt mechanism 12 is driven to carry the designated rack to the
detaching position where an exchanging robot 22 is arranged. The
tool holder inserted into the designated rack is taken out by a
robot arm 24A and moved to the position of a spindle 26 of the
machining center 20. The tool attached to the spindle 26 is removed
therefrom by the other robot arm 24B. Thereafter, the arm is
rotated and the new tool is attached to the spindle 26.
However, in the case of exchanging the tools by use of such an
automatic tool exchanging apparatus, a desired tool to be exchanged
is selected by designating the rack number. Therefore, the rack
numbers and the tool numbers must be set into the automatic tool
exchanging apparatus in a one-to-one corresponding relation
manner.
Thus, the tool number which is designated by the machining center
means that, for example, when the tool No. 5 is designated, the
rack No. 5 in the automatic tool exchanging apparatus is
designated; therefore, it is impossible to directly designate the
kind of tool with respect to whether the tool is the drill or
cutter.
Therefore, in the case where the tool enclosed in the automatic
tool exchanging apparatus is exchanged because of the damage or for
the purpose of grinding, the new tool must be certainly attached to
the rack of the predetermined number. Although the tools attached
to the racks near the exchanging robot 22 can be relatively easily
exchanged, the tools disposed at the positions of the other racks
are exchanged in the state in which the operator enters the narrow
place since a wide space cannot be assured. In particular, some of
the working tools are considerably heavy, so that the tool
exchanging work is severe.
On the other hand, to solve the problem of the tool exchange in the
case where there is the one-to-one corresponding relation between
the rack numbers and tool numbers, for example, as shown in FIG. 3,
there is known the tool holder such that a plurality of magnets 29
indicative of the tool number are embedded in the attaching tapered
surface 28 of the tool holder 18.
By use of the tool holder 18 having the tool number by the embedded
magnets, after the tools attached to the holder were inserted at
random into the racks 14 of the automatic tool exchanging apparatus
12 shown in FIG. 1, the tool numbers by the embedded magnets are
previously read and stored by performing the learning process such
that the exchanging operations of the tools from all of the racks
14 are executed once. In this manner, the relation between the rack
numbers and the tool numbers is derived as the table data.
Therefore, by designating the tool number on the basis of the table
data, the tool of the rack number corresponding to the designated
tool number can be selected and exchanged.
On the other hand, even in the case of exchanging the tool because
of the damage or for the purpose of grinding, if the same tool
holder is used, by attaching a new tool to the idle rack existing
at the position where the exchanging operation can be easily
performed without considering the rack number and by executing the
learning process in a manner similar to the foregoing case, the
tools can be exchanged without being restricted by the rack
number.
However, in the case of the tool holder having the tool number by
the embedded magnets as mentioned above, there is the limitation of
the number of magnets which can be embedded into the holder.
Therefore, an amount of information which can be provided for the
holder is small and, therefore, the tools cannot be sufficiently
managed on the basis of the holder information.
In addition, since the embedding positions of the magnets are
substantially fixed, it is practically difficult to change the tool
number and the like, so that the holder to be used is predetermined
for every tool in a one-to-one corresponding relation manner. A
special holder cannot be used to attach another different tool.
Consequently, there are the problems such that it is necessary to
stock the holder having the same embedded magnets to exchange the
tools and it is complicated to manage the holders themselves.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an information
processing apparatus of a tool holder in which not only the tool
number but also various information necessary to exchange the
manage the tool are stored and held in the holder itself, and the
tools can be properly exchanged and managed by the data processor
on the side of a machine tool such as a machining center or the
like without being restricted by the rack number and tool number
and the like of an automatic tool exchanging apparatus.
Another object of the invention is to provide an information
processing apparatus of a tool holder in which a memory to store
various data is provided in the holder itself and the data can be
freely read out and written between the memory and an external unit
by the data transmission.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a tool holder
in which even if a power supply from the outside is shut off, the
content stored in the memory is not erased but can be held.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an information
processing apparatus of a tool holder in which the data can be
written into and read out of the memory without needing the
electrical connection with the outside.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an information
processing apparatus of a tool holder having an external unit to
write and read the information from the outside into and from the
memory provided in the tool holder.
According to the present invention, the tool holder itself which is
known as a standard article has therein a writable non-volatile
memory to store various information regarding the tool attached to
the holder, and a contactless coupling apparatus adapted to perform
an optical or magnetical coupling is also provided in order to read
out and write the information between the memory and the external
unit by the serial data transmission.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the
present invention will become more apparent from the following
detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a machining center having an
automatic tool exchanging apparatus;
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional tool holder;
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional tool holder in
which magnets are embedded;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present
invention;
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a format of write/read data in
a memory provided in a holder;
FIGS. 6A and 6B are explanatory diagrams showing an embodiment of a
built-in state in a tool holder;
FIGS. 7A and 7B are explanatory diagrams showing another embodiment
of a built-in state of a tool holder;
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a combination state of a
tool holder and an external unit shown in FIG. 4;
FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the
invention; and
FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing still another embodiment of the
invention in which a battery is built in.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present
invention.
A constitution will be first explained. A holder side unit 30 is
built in a tool holder. The unit 30 has a non-volatile memory 32 of
the serial input/output (I/O) type to store various kinds of
information with respect to the tool attached to the holder. As the
memory 32, for example, an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable
Programmable Read Only Memory) which can electrically rewrite the
memory content may be used. Practically speaking, X2404 made by
Xicor Co., Ltd. can be used. The serial I/O type non-volatile
memory 32 has a serial data port SDA and a serial clock port SCL.
With regard to the data writing operation, for example, the data
can be written by serially inputting the address and data
synchronously with a clock, in which these address and data consist
of a start pulse, an R/W pulse to switch the reading and writing
operations, an address, data, and an end pulse as shown in FIG.
5.
When the address is designated synchronously with a clock by using
the R/W pulse shown in FIG. 5 as a reading mode, the data in the
designated address can be similarly read out as the serial data to
the outside synchronously with the clock subsequent to the address
designation.
Further, the memory capacity of the memory 32 is, for example,
8.times.512 bytes and is so sufficient that the memory can store
various kinds of information regarding the tool such as, for
example, tool number, kind of tool, dimensions of tool, use time of
tool, and the like.
Referring again to FIG. 4, by use of the serial data port SDA and
serial clock port SCL of the memory 32, data is written into and
read out of a write/read unit 34, which is provided as an external
unit. For this purpose, a contactless coupling apparatus using
photocouplers is provided.
Namely, the holder side unit 30 and the write/read unit 34 are
separately provided. Three sets of photocouplers each consisting of
a combination of a light emitting diode and a phototransistor are
provided for the units 30 and 34. The side of the holder side unit
30 is provided with a light emitting diode 36 and two
phototransistors 38 and 40. The light emitting diode 36 transmits
the address and data pulses from the serial data port SDA of the
memory 32 to the outside. The phototransistor 38 receives the
address and data pulses from the side of the write/read unit 34 and
supplies to the serial data port SDA. The phototransistor 40
receives the clock pulse from the side of the write/read unit 34
and supplies to the serial clock port SCL.
The side of the write/read unit 34 is provided with a
phototransistor 42 and two light emitting diodes 44 and 46 so as to
face the light emitting diode 36 and phototransistors 38 and 40 of
the holder side unit 30, respectively. The phototransistor 42
receives the address and data pulses from the holder side unit 30.
The light emitting diode 44 transmits the address and data pulses
to the holder side unit 30. The light emitting diode 46 transmits
the clock pulse to the holder side unit 30.
The holder side unit 30 further has a transformer 48 of a
part-winding structure and a rectifying regulating power source 50.
The transformer 48 is supplied with a power source from the side of
the write/read unit 34 by way of a contactless coupling system and
produces a power source for the memory side. The rectifying
regulating power source 50 rectifies an AC output voltage of the
transformer 48 and generates a constant DC voltage for the memory.
On the other hand, in correspondence to the power transformer 48
built in the holder side unit 30, a power tansformer 52 having a
part-winding structure in which the primary winding is wound is
also built in the side of the write/read unit 34 so as to face the
transformer 48. An AC voltage of a predetermined frequency is
supplied from an oscillator 56 to the primary winding of the power
transformer 52.
A magnetic circuit of a transformer core is formed by confronting
the power transformers 48 and 52 which are divided on both sides of
the units 30 and 34 so as to mutually face as shown in the diagram.
Thus, the induction magnetic field which is generated by supplying
the AC voltage from the oscillator 56 to the primary winding is
transferred to the transformer core of the holder side unit 30,
thereby enabling the induced power voltage to be generated in the
secondary winding.
Further, the write/read unit 34 has therein and I/O port 58 for
serial transfer to perform the serial data transfer in order to
write or read the data into or from the memory 32 in the holder
side unit 30. The I/O port 58 is connected to a microprocessor 60.
A display and operation panel 62 as an external I/O apparatus is
further connected to the microprocessor 60. The microprocessor 60
controls the writing or reading operation of various information
concerned with the tool through the serial transfer I/O port 58 on
the basis of the operation of a keyboard of the display and
operation panel 62. The write/read unit 34 also has a power source
circuit 64 supplied with a commercially available power source,
thereby allowing a constant DC power voltage to be supplied to each
circuit section in the unit 34.
FIG. 6A is an explanatory diagram of the tool holder having the
holder side unit 30 shown in FIG. 4 therein. FIG. 6B shows a cross
sectional view of the built-in portion of the holder side unit.
In the embodiment of FIGS. 6A and 6B, the holder side unit 30 shown
in FIG. 4 is built in the conical-shaped holder attaching portion
28 of the tool holder 18. As will be obviously understood from FIG.
6B, a recess portion is hollowed out in the holder attaching
portion 28 to form a unit enclosing portion 66. The memory 32,
power source 50, light emitting diode 36, photoresistors 38 and 40,
and power transformer 48 are enclosed in the unit enclosing portion
66.
As shown in FIG. 6A, the cross sectional surface of the core of the
power transformer 48 is exposed to the surface of the holder
attaching portion 28. Transparent windows 68, 70, and 72 into which
hard glasses or the like are inserted are attached to the surface
portions which face the light emitting diode 36 and
phototransistors 38 and 40, respectively.
FIG. 7A is an explanatory diagram showing another embodiment of a
built-in structure of the holder side unit into the tool holder.
FIG. 7B shows a plan view when the built-in structure in FIG. 7A is
seen from the bottom.
This embodiment has a feature such that the holder side unit is
built in a flange portion 74 of the tool holder 18. The core edge
surface of the power transformer 48 and the transparent windows 68,
70, and 72 for the light emitting diode 36 and phototransistors 38
and 40 are provided at the edge surface of the flange portion.
The built-in position of the holder side unit 30 into the tool
holder 18 is not limited to those in the embodiments shown in FIGS.
6A, 6B, 7A, and 7B but can be built in a proper position in the
holder.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of a
combination state of the tool holder 18 into which the holder side
unit 30 is built in and the write/read unit 34 shown in FIG. 4.
For example, assuming that the holder side unit 30 was built in the
tool holder 18 as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, a conical-shaped
enclosing hole 76 adapted to attach the tool holder 18 is hollowed
out in the surface of the casing of the write/read unit 34. The
tool holder 18 is inserted into the enclosing hole 76 as shown in
FIG. 8. In this state, the power transformer 52, phototransistor
42, and light emitting diodes 44 and 46 on the side of the
write/read unit 34 are arranged so as to face the power transformer
48, light emitting diode 36, and phototransistors 38 and 40 on the
side of the holder side unit 30, respectively. By inserting the
tool holder 18 into the enclosing hole 76 and fixing thereto by a
clamp 78, the coupling apparatuses of both units 30 and 34 are
relatively unconditionally positioned.
The write/read unit 34 shown in FIG. 8 is provided as an
independent unit separately from the automatic tool exchanging
apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1. When the abraded or damaged tool was
replaced by a new tool, the write/read unit 34 is used to clear the
initial dimensions and use time of the tool.
The write/read unit 34 having the structure shown in FIG. 8 is also
provided for the automatic tool exchanging apparatus or on the side
of the machine tool such as a machining center or the like. For
example, when the write/read unit 34 is set into the automatic tool
exchanging apparatus, the tool attached to the tool holder having
the memory therein according to the invention is enclosed into the
rack adapted to enclose the tool. In this state, the data stored in
the memory is read out by the learning operation and transferred to
the side of the machining center. On the basis of the information
of the tool holder, the machining center executes the selecting
process to exchange the tools, counting process of the tool use
time, the correcting operation of the tool processing set position
for a work piece in association with the tool exchange, and the
like.
FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the present
invention. This embodiment has a feature such that a magnetic
inductive coupling apparatus is used as a contactless coupling
apparatus between the holder side unit 30 built in the tool holder
and the write/read unit 34 as the external unit. Namely, in place
of the photocouplers shown in the embodiment of FIG. 4, magnetic
cores 80 and 82, 84 and 86, and 88 and 90 each having a
part-winding structure are arranged between the memory 32 in the
holder side unit 30 and the I/O port 58 in the write/read unit 34
so as to face each other, respectively. The magnetic core 80 is
used to transmit the address and data pulses from the serial data
port SDA of the non-volatile memory 32. Therefore, an induction
coil 92 to be driven by the address and data pulses is rewound. The
magnetic core 82 on the side of the write/read unit 34 which faces
the induction coil 92 is equipped with a magnetic sensor 92 such as
Hall device, magneto-resistance device, or the like.
Further, since the magnetic cores 84, 86, 88, and 90 are used to
transmit the address, data pulses, and clock pulse from the side of
the write/read unit 34, induction coils 96 and 98 are wound to the
magnetic cores 86 and 90 in the write/read unit 34, respectively,
and magnetic source 100 and 102 each consisting of Hall device,
magneto-resistance device, or the like are attached to the magnetic
cores 84 and 88 in the holder side unit 30, respectively.
The other circuit constitution is the same as the embodiment shown
in FIG. 4.
As described above, according to the embodiment of FIG. 9, the data
transfer between the memory 32 in the holder side unit 30 and the
write/read unit 34 is performed by the contactless coupling
structure based on the magnetic induction. Therefore, as compared
with the contactless coupling apparatus using photocouplers shown
in FIG. 4, even if a lubricating oil and the like are deposited to
the tool holder and the holder is polluted while the tool holder is
being used, the serial data transfer can be certainly performed
between the holder side unit 30 and the write/read unit 34 without
causing any transmission loss of data due to the deposition of
oil.
FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing still another embodiment of the
invention. This embodiment has a feature such that a battery is
built in the holder side unit 30 in order to hold the content
stored in the memory built in the tool holder.
Namely, a battery 104 having a long service life such as mercury
battery or lithium battery is built in the holder side unit 30. The
battery voltage from the battery 104 is regulated by a regulating
power source 106 to a constant voltage and the regulated power
voltage is supplied to the unit circuit including the memory.
Since the battery 104 is built in as the power source, there is no
need to use such a non-volatile memory as shown in the foregoing
embodiments as a serial I/O type memory 108. Instead of this, the
data is written and read out by use of an ordinary CMOS-RAM and the
memory content can be held by the supply of the power source by the
battery 104.
The embodiment shown in FIG. 10 relates to the example in the case
of using the contactless coupling apparatus by the photocouplers
similarly to the embodiment in FIG. 4. However, similarly, even in
the case of using the contactless coupling apparatus by the
magnetic induction shown in FIG. 9, the function as the
non-volatile memory can be realized using an ordinary CMOS-RAM by
providing the battery 104 in the holder side unit 30.
As described above, according to the invention, the tool holder
itself has therein the memory to store various kinds of information
regarding the tool attached to the holder and the contactless
coupling apparatus to optically or magnetically read and write the
information between the memory and the external unit by way of the
serial data transfer. Therefore, a large amount of data necessary
to exchange and manage the tools can be written and stored into the
memory built in the tool holder. In addition, since the built-in
memory is non-volatile, the stored data will not be extinguished
even if the memory is used for a long time. Various tool data such
as dimensions of tool concerned with the length and radius and the
like, use time of tool, and the like can be stored and held for
every tool. Thus, the tools can be fairly efficiently maintained
and managed.
On the other hand, there is no need to present any special
corresponding relation between the tools to be attached and the
side of the tool holders. If different tool was attached to the
tool holder, by rewriting the tool number and various data stored
in the built-in memory, the proper tool holder can be freely used
irrespective of the kind of tool.
Further, since there is no limitation by the rack number in the
automatic tool exchanging apparatus, the tool attached to the
holder can be inserted into the idle rack existing at the location
where the tool can be easily attached and detached. After the new
tool was inserted, the information stored in the memory in the
holder at the position of the rack into which the new tool was
inserted is read out on the side of the automatic tool exchanging
apparatus, so that the corresponding tool can be easily selected by
a command from the machining center.
Moreover, according to the tool holder of the invention, not only
the power source is unnecessary but also the electrical connection
with the external unit side is necessary. By merely positioning the
holder side unit and write/read unit to the locations where both
units optically or magnetically face each other, the data can be
read and written from and into the memory built in the tool holder
by the external unit. Even when the electrical circuit including
the memory is arranged in the tool holder to be used under the
relatively severe use condition in which the holder will be
vibrated or the oil is deposited to the holder and the like, the
data can be certainly written and read out without causing any
malfunction due to the deposition of the oil and dust.
* * * * *